Monday, April 28, 2014

Take a Quantum Leap…Limited Time Only

Since the initial news that Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas would depart from Cape Liberty, New Jersey for her inaugural winter season, there has been suspicion from travel agents and consumers alike as to why the ships itinerary was only disclosed until the spring of 2015. Well, now we have an answer. In an astonishing announcement, Royal Caribbean revealed that the Quantum would make Shanghai, China its homeport beginning late June 2015. The Quantum of the Seas will sail three to eight-night itineraries year-round from Shanghai to Japan and Korea.

I suppose from a business standpoint the decision is a smart one for Royal Caribbean. After all, it makes senses that the major cruise lines will begin to look to the rapidly growing Asian cruise market and the Chinese market is huge! Of course, that fact does little to alleviate the disappointment of Northeast American cruisers that were so looking forward to having the new ship in their own backyard.

So, what can Cape Liberty cruisers look forward to after the departure of the Quantum of the Seas? Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas will take her place to sail to Bermuda, the Caribbean, and Canada and New England for the 2015 summer and autumn seasons. And then, Quantum of the Seas' sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, which launches in April 2015, will complete her inaugural Europe season from Southampton, before arriving to Cape Liberty in November 2015 to continue Quantum-class cruising to the Bahamas and Caribbean for the winter 2015-16 season.